School district hasn't given in to redistricting

Many who follow Hood River Valley High School (HRVHS) sports are aware of the Hood River County School Board's attempts to have the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) allow HRVHS to remain in the Mt. Hood Conference rather than be moved to the Intermountain Conference (IMC).

Superintendent Jerry Sessions and the school board have not given up our efforts to stay in the Mt. Hood Conference. Jeff Baker, school district attorney, worked during spring break to write an Exception to the hearing officer's proposed Findings of Fact.

In addition, Rick Metsger, State Senator for Hood River and Clackamas Counties is very interested in the school district's case with OSAA. He has become our district's spokesman and advocate with OSAA, with Jill Kirk, Chairwoman of the State Board of Education and with fellow legislators. In Sen. Metsger's letter to Chairwoman Kirk, he suggests a compromise for the State Board to "accept the recommendation from the OSAA hearings officer, but delaying its implementation for at least two years." Senator Metsger also wrote Tom Walter of OSAA suggesting this compromise and urged OSAA not to let this become " a tangled web of legal actions".

HRVHS principal Ben Kolb, and Superintendent Sessions have both have written excellent letters to Chairwoman Kirk concurring with Sen. Metsger's proposed compromise.

Although HRVHS vice principal Glenn Elliot has worked on a tentative schedule for fall sports with the IMC, our school district is NOT doing business as usual with the IMC. The Mt. Hood Conference will schedule games with HRVHS in the event that the State Board accepts the proposed compromise and allows us to remain in the Mt. Hood Conference for two more years.

Hopefully common sense and Hood River's kids will prevail.

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Susan McCarthy has been on the School Board for 17 years, represents the upper valley and is currently Board Chairperson.)